With an enchanting blend of magical realism, politics, and romance reminiscent of her classic bestseller The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende presents a soul-baring memoir that seizes the reader like a novel of suspense.

Written for her daughter Paula when she became ill and slipped into a coma, Paula is the colorful story of Allende's life -- from her early years in her native Chile, through the turbulent military coup of 1973, to the subsequent dictatorship and her family's years of exile. In the telling, bizarre ancestors reveal themselves, delightful and bitter childhood memories surface, enthralling anecdotes of youthful years are narrated and intimate secrets are softly whispered.

In an exorcism of death and a celebration of life, Isabel Allende explores the past, questions the gods, and creates a magical book that carries the reader from tears to laughter, from terror to sensuality to wisdom. In Paula, readers will come to understand that the miraculous world of her novels is the world Isabel Allende inhabits -- it is her enchanted reality.

A soul-baring memoir that seizes the reader. When Isabel Allende's daughter Paula becomes deathly ill and falls into a coma, Allende begins to write the story of her family for her unconscious child. Great prose and story.

A wonderfully touching story by an excellent author.

Sweet memoir of Allende's relationship with her daughter - and telling of her own life story. If you like her other books you HAVE to read this one - it brings her stories together in a touching way.

Paula is a soul-baring memoir that seizes the reader like a novel of suspense. When Isabelle Allende's novel became gravely ill and fell into a coma, the author begins to write the story of her family for her unconscious child.

I really liked this book. It's been a while since I've read it, but any mother will be able to relate because noone is supposed to outlive their children. I enjoyed the biographical parts into Isabel Allende's past a lot, too.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
Paula is a soul-baring memoir, which, like a novel of suspense, one reads without drawing a breath. The point of departure for these moving pages is a tragic personal experience. In December 1991, Isabel Allende's daughter, Paula, became gravely ill and shortly thereafter fell into a coma. During months in the hospital, the author began to write the story of her family for her unconscious daughter. In the telling, bizarre ancestors appear before our eyes; we hear both delightful and bitter childhood memories, amazing anecdotes of youthful years, the most intimate secrets passed along in whispers. Chile, Allende's native land, comes alive as well, with the turbulent history of the military coup of 1973, the ensuing dictatorship, and her family's years of exile. As an exorcism of death, in these pages Isabel Allende explores the past and questions the gods.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!!!
This is truly a soul-baring memoir that seizes the reader like a novel of suspense. When Isabel Allende's daughter, Paula, became gravely ill and fell into a coma, the author began to write the story of her family for her unconscious child. In the telling, bizarre ancestors appear before our eyes; we hear both delightful and bitter childhood memories, amazing anecdotes of youthful years, the most intimate secrets passed along in whispers. This is a powerful autobiography whose straightforward acceptance of the magical and spiritual worlds will remind readers of her first book, "The House of the Spirits."

A stunning memoir, excruciatingly honest and readable, that reads much like a novel of intrigue. Paula is Isabel's Allenda's daughter, who lay in a coma as the author told her story. Extremely beautiful and heart-rending.

A stunning memoir, excruciatingly honest and readable, that reads much like a novel of intrigue. Paula is Isabel's Allenda's daughter, who lay in a coma as the author told her story. Extremely beautiful and heart-rending.

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